Socket receptacle



A-.- M. D RAVING 'SOQKETVRECEP'TAQLE' June' 8, 1943.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Filed July 12; 1958 7.. a 3 Z .5 Jv i 0 uli ww .yg#ww A. M. DRAVING SOCKET RECEPTACLE Filed July l2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2provide improvements in Patented June 8, 1943 Y Arum n. DravingPhiladelphia, Pa

Philadelphia, Pa., a'corporation o! Pennsylvania Hugh, H. Eby, Inc.,

assigner to Application .my 12, 193s, serial 510.218.754 s claims. (ci.17H28) This invention relates to socket receptacles.

It is among the objects of this invention: to the art of socket re-lceptacles; to provide improvements in contacts for socket receptacles;to provide a molded socket receptaclepof economy, high insulating andcontact eliiciency. and with enhanced ornamental appearance: to providea socket receptacle orl molded base having contact apertures each formedwith an internal lateral' window in com munication therewith so as tolockingly receive an'inserted .contact element; to provide a metallicelement for tacle to create a female plug device; to provide a moldedsocket receptacle with a lateral recess in communication with a contactaperture so formed as to be susceptible to molding in a two associationwith a socket recep-v Fig. 7 represents a bottom the base shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 8 representsa vertical section through the or reilected plan of l.closed two-part mold, as used for the molded baseshown illustratively inFig. 1, with thev between the mold parts molded base in position ordies, showing theoverlapping elements of the mold dies. prior to/.theaxial separation of the die elements. g

Fig. 9 represents an exploded or separated section through thedisassembled elements shown part mold having relative axial separatingmovements; to provide a molded socket receptacle with a contact apertureso shaped as to enable the contact to be anchored by mere axialinsertion without the use of separate securing means or the use ofspecial tools and the like; to provide a molded socket receptacle with aplurality of contact receiving apertures having lateral'recessesextending through the face o'f the socket with molded integral barriersarcuately disposed between adjacent're'cesses to prevent electrical.leakage between adjacent contacts; to provide a molded socket base ofextreme economy as to volume of molding material necessary withoutsacrifice of strength; to provide a combined molded base and contact inwhich the contact is freely otable and self-aligning with an insertedprong regardless of the accuracy or contour of the latter, but withoutdamage to contacts or molded base, or danger of separation of the baseand contact; and many other objects of the invention will become moreevident as the description proceeds.

` In the accompanying drawings;l forming part of this description:

Fig. 1 represents a plan and Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of anilluscording to this invention.

somewhat of the characteristics of the contacts tratve form of themolded socket base of this invention with which contacts may beassociated. Fig. 3 represents a vertical sectionl through the base shownin Fig. 1

Fig. 4 represents a vertical section, partially on an arc about 'avertical axis, through-the iliustrative form of base shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 represent respectively transverse partially arcuatesections through modified forms of molded bases.

in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 represents a transverse vertical section through a modiiied formof socket with an illustrative form of contact mounted therein, arrangedto securewindow for anchoring the contact while enabling guidingrelation to the guide prong of a plug-in device,

Fig. 11 represents a fragmentaryv plan of va molded base showing amodied form thereof in which the lateral recess for the contact apertureis in communication with the prong aperture.

\ Fig. 12`represents a fragmentary vertical section of the molded socketshowing the contact aperture disclosed .in Fie. 11,

v vertical section through a still further modied form of amolded baseacvThe invention relates ".to molded sockets for `plug-in electricaldevices, and, also tocontacts associated therewith. So far as thecontacts per se are concernedthey each preferably partake shown andclaimed in Draving Reissue Patent #20,162, the broad features of whichmay b e stated in one regards at'least, as being the preference thatthey be substantially oval in cross-section, having a longitudinalclearance or slot. between armsor wings and arranged to establish aplurality-of lines 'of electrical contact with an inserted prong.

The molded socket of the invention may take have certain more or lessfundamental and novel characteristics. It is to be borne in mind thatthe provision of a mounting for the contact elethe benefits of theapertured ment or contour or thickness.

' ornamental appearance of the assembly and that the complete socket maybe easily and expeditiously mounted.

Referring to Fig. 1 'and' the related gures, including Fig. 3, a mouldedbase of the four contact type is disclosed as an integral homogeneousbase 30, having a lower portion 3|, polygonal in external cross-section(illustratively only being hexagonal) beneath an over-hanging annularperipheral flange 32. The top of the socket shows the peripheral flangenoted, the smaller concentric annular guide groove 33, within which theevenly spaced contact prong-receiving apertures in any desired numberare in communication, as

at 34. A smaller interrupted deep recess 35, ex-

tends vertically downwardly about the solid cen-4 tral strengtheningisland 381, the upper surfaceof which preferably lies in a plane commonto the upper surface of the socket including the peripheral flange 32andl is .especially convenient for tube or plug-in device designation orindication. The characteristics ofthe recess 35, and its interruptionswill become more clear as the description proceeds, especially inconnection with the moldr and molding steps by the practice of which thesocket base is formed as shown in Figs. 12

and 13.

The recess 35 may comprise a complete annular 4 recess as shown in Figs.1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, l5, or a plurality of arcuately aligned spacedapertures, as shown in Fig. 6 etc. The lower end of the base contains aplurality of contact receiving and housing openings 31 of any desiredcontour or section including cylindrical, oval or angular,

each larger than and usually slightly eccentricv to and registering withthe respective prong apertures 34, so as to form an internal shoulder orabutment 38, against which the inserted contact element may abut to forma positive stop therefore in one direction. Each aperture. 31, includesa narrow slot 40, preferably more or -less tapered at its mouth as at4|, and of such depth and width as to receive and guide the integral earor tongue I5 and its tip I1 of the appropriate contact. The aperture 31is of the proper size to loosely receive the appropriate contact, toenable both lateral and axial shifting and adjustment to accord withvariations in prong align- It isv completely self aligning therewith. Ata suitable distance from the lower end of slot 40, a shoulder 42, isprovided by the overlapping of the recess 35 with the guide slot 48.

As shown in Fig. 3, the contact 9, preferred with the socket underdiscussion is inserted lon gitudinally vertically froml the bottom ofthe socket with the arms Il, and i2., and backing plate, more or lessloosely `guided and aligned in contact, aperture 31, and with thevresilient tongue guided in the longitudinal groove 40 in which it iscompressed toward the contact body momentarily during the insertion,until the shoulder 4| is reached over which the resilient tip l1 Therelation of prong aperture 34, contact aperture 31, and contact 3 ispreferably such-that the inserted -male contact member guided in theprong aperture is engaged in a resilient channel in which the arms Iland l2 resillently engage the prong on one side to form two spaced linesof contact, while forcing the prong and backing portion together toestablish at least one more spaced line of contact, as disclosed in saidDraving patent, although for general purpose of the instant molded base,any other sort of contact may be utilized, as will be clear.

The formation of the locking shoulder and the variation in ornamentaland electrical effects incident thereto are shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and6, among others. The feature is an interesting attribute of the use of atwo-part mold such as is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, wherein the elementsare axially relatively movable to create the desired overlap by thejuxtaposition of oppositely separable mold elements. This provides whatmay be designated as a window 42 which in one form or another is commonto the several different forms of contact receptacles. As shown in Fig.13, the upper lateral recess 35' may terminate below or in a line withthe lower end of the prong aperture so as to be open on only that sidewhich communicates` with contact aperture 31, or may be in communicationwith the prong aperture 34 throughout its axial length, as shown inFigs. 1l and 12, or may be a continuation of a vertical recess 35"leading through the upper surface of the base 30, asshown in Figs. 1, 3,4, 5, 6, 8, etc. The prong aperture-spaced vertical recess 35. whichterminates the'shoulder 42 is easily formed by the molding forming ring39 (Fig. 9) of upper die 6, of suitable construction, and illustrativelyis formed in hills and valleys or serrations symmetrically disposed onits edge so as to impart the desired hill and valley contour to theloweror upwardly presenting surface of the recess 35,with the windows 42in the lower parts or valleys of the recess, and with verticalseparating partitions, baiiies or walls 43 extending in the finishedmolded base as hills upwardly on, each side of the windows 42. .Theseinsulating barriers 43 may terminate within the arcuate recess 35, asshown for instance in Fig. 4, or may of the tongue engages to preventretraction of the contact. This engagement is automatic and follows themere axial insertion of the contact.

terminate in the plane of the upper surface of the base 30, as shown inFig. 6. The lower half portion of the two part mold has upwardlyextending pins 8 of the contour required to form the contact apertures31. It will be evident that with the two part mold separableperpendicularly of the molded base, the sockets can be turned outrapidly and cheaply and with any desired number of contact apertures,according to predetermination in the mold and each will lbe separatedfrom the adjacent ones by higher or lower solid walls of the moldingmaterial, so that electrical leakage and the like between contacts issubstantially obviated.

It may be noted that the island 3B in the center of the form illustratedin Figs. 1 and 3, is preferably hollow or cored out beneath, as lat 44in order to save material and form a housing to receive resistor 3, orthe like, as shown in Fig. 14. On the contrary as shown in Fig. 5, thecentral axial portion may be substantially solid except for a small orlarge upwardly disposed and presenting aperture, which may receive guideprongs or the like, (not shown), or, as shown in Fig. 10, the centralpart may be completely omittedso as to form the 'guide'prong receivingaperture 49, suitably vertically or longitudinally grooved, and

with the window forming annular recess 35a on the outer periphery of thebase, outwardly of the prong apertures, in place of the inner locationof recess 35 in Fig. 1, for instance. In Fig. 10,

the contacts are reversed before insertion in the contact apertures.

It will be understood that with the invention thus far disclosed thecontacts can be simply pushed in from the lower end until the shortsupporting tongue snaps over the shoulder into the appropriate windowd2, whereby the contact body is actually loosely held, but is furnishedwith upper and lower positive stops between which, and laterally thecontact "iloats so as to align itself with any inserted prong, butwithout danger of coming out of the socket as a result of either a pushor a pull thereon.

In the average and usual situation as indicated in Fig. 2, for instance,it is preferred that the longitudinal edges di be interrupted by atransverse substantially planar cut groove recess or indentation d,which may be formed by a sawcut or the like after the molding 'has beencompleted, or may be formed during the molding process in any desiredmanner.

A further modification of the provision of the external mounting lugs asformed by an axially separable two part mold, is shown in Fig. 15, inwhich the upper peripheral bead of the molded socket is interrupted byvertical recesses |20 separating the bead into teeth or lugs I2 l andwhich recesses extend to termination in the upwardly presenting shoulderportions |22. The modification of the upper half of the two partaxially` separable molds to secure this construction will be obvious.

I claim as my invention:

1. A molded socket having an annular recess in one surface, a pluralityof socket contact openings4 in the opposite surface communicatingrespectively with the recess and with each other through the recess,said socket having a transverse shoulder in each of said openingsleading into the recess arranged to be engaged by contacts in saidopenings, and separating means disposed in the recess between shouldersto minimize leakage between socket contacts, and a plurality of tubecontact openings in the rst mentioned surface each communicating with areleakage. between socket contacts, a plurality of tube contact.openings inthe first mentioned surface each communicating witha'respective socket contact opening,` each of said socket contactopeningsv having a longitudinal guide groove extending into the shoulderto facilitate guided engagement o f the shoulder by a portion of saidcontact. f

3. A socket; receptacle comprising a molded insulating base having aplurality of female contact openings annularly arranged and extendinginwardly in one face and a plurality of prong contact aperturesannularly arranged and ex-.

tending inwardly in the oppositeface to registering communication withthe respective female contact openings, a secondary annular recessconcentric to the annularly arranged prong contact apertures extendinginwardly of the said opposite face to overlapping lateral communicationwith the respective female contact openings to form a plurality oflateral shoulders in the female contact openings inwardly of the firstmentioned face, and integral separating means between said shoulders insaid annular reces's to minimize leakage between contacts.

ARTHUR M. DRAVING.

